My Grandsport has always suffered from extremely low tongue weight. Even my featherweight SS2000 comp has like 75-100 lbs on it. The GS practically levitates. In fact, parked backwards against the logs in the Bear Inn lot, it DID levitate.
This just wasn't right and it was a pain to tow. You could always hear that sucker trying to lift off the trailer ball.
I went to see Owen at Boatmate and followed up with Darris at his suggestion.
it's a 1995 duallie trailer.
Well I learned more about those trailers than I ever wanted to know. Condensed version: This '95 is a 1.5" tubular construction and the boat is heavy for it, so it flexes. They changed the tubing to 2" sometime in the late 90's.
The only fix was to take out the center and rear bolts for the vertical bunks and jack up the bunks to where the bow sits on the roller instead of floating when the strap is released. The boat is not real lightweight and is rear heavy, with 11" setback and 200XS motor.
I learned the center, "vee" bunks do NOT hold the boat, they are guide bunks only. The two vertical ones do the job of carrying the weight. Darris says you ought to be able to slip a piece of cardboard under the front portion of the two vee bunks.
So yesterday I did the project. What a PITA. Even though the bolts are stainless, one of the center ones seized up upon removal and had to cut it off with an air grinding wheel. That was fun being on my back under the trailer with the cutting wheel at 20,000 rpm near my face. $3.99 goggles made a big difference. All the lizard crawling has me sore today from using muscles and joints not usually used.
The rear of the bunks were elevated by 5/8", had to drill new bolt holes and the top rear of the bunks are now 6.75" from the top surface of the rear crossmember.
Bow now resting (or pretty much so) on front roller by winch. Job done! ?
For anyone who wants to try this test....if you unstrap the bow eye and the bow floats up, it's too rear heavy and needs "the treatment".
This just wasn't right and it was a pain to tow. You could always hear that sucker trying to lift off the trailer ball.
I went to see Owen at Boatmate and followed up with Darris at his suggestion.
it's a 1995 duallie trailer.
Well I learned more about those trailers than I ever wanted to know. Condensed version: This '95 is a 1.5" tubular construction and the boat is heavy for it, so it flexes. They changed the tubing to 2" sometime in the late 90's.
The only fix was to take out the center and rear bolts for the vertical bunks and jack up the bunks to where the bow sits on the roller instead of floating when the strap is released. The boat is not real lightweight and is rear heavy, with 11" setback and 200XS motor.
I learned the center, "vee" bunks do NOT hold the boat, they are guide bunks only. The two vertical ones do the job of carrying the weight. Darris says you ought to be able to slip a piece of cardboard under the front portion of the two vee bunks.
So yesterday I did the project. What a PITA. Even though the bolts are stainless, one of the center ones seized up upon removal and had to cut it off with an air grinding wheel. That was fun being on my back under the trailer with the cutting wheel at 20,000 rpm near my face. $3.99 goggles made a big difference. All the lizard crawling has me sore today from using muscles and joints not usually used.
The rear of the bunks were elevated by 5/8", had to drill new bolt holes and the top rear of the bunks are now 6.75" from the top surface of the rear crossmember.
Bow now resting (or pretty much so) on front roller by winch. Job done! ?
For anyone who wants to try this test....if you unstrap the bow eye and the bow floats up, it's too rear heavy and needs "the treatment".
